Air brake



Aug. 14, 1923.

G. D. BRECK ET AL.

AIR BRAKE Filed March 31 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 George QBFQCK n cmems I N VEN TORS A TTORNEY.

Au 14, 1921s. mmfiw G. D BRECK ET AL AIR BRAKE Filed March 31 1921 5 SheeQ-Sheet 3 :5 George Dbreck Lawrence W. EwecK John Schmuuss ATTORNEY.

INVENTORI.

Aug. 14, 1923. 11,4@4-,4@

' G. D. BRECK ET AL AIR BRAKE Filed March 31 1921 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Geer'ga D. Brack Lawrence W. Break v INVENTOR John fichmcums s Aug. M, 1923.

memm

G. D BRECK ET AL AIR BRAKE Filed March 31 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 NWQ 7 LawrenceW. 51- John sthmgu ss INVENTORS.

Aug; 1%, 1923. v 3,464,646

' G. D. BRECK ET AL AIR BRAKE Filed March 31 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FiglO. a

George QBrecYx Lawrence W. Eneck 'INVENT R John Sahmuuss 0 Patented sag. s, less.

election in. BBECK, or CL VELAND,

sour/races, or narrate, new

w nitrate" w. Benoit AND JOHN v Ara sirens.

Application filed LE'arch 33., 1921. Serial N'ox57fl06.

To all 10720722 itmeyconcern:

Be it known thatv we, Gnonon 1133113012, residing at Cleveland, in the county or Cuyahoga and State otOhio, and Lav Briton 7 erence to air brake equipment for freight train use, though not limited thereto, According to the usual practice, the air brake system comprises a reservoir, pump, and controlling valve (engineers valv upon the locomotive; a reservoir, brake-cylinder, and controlling valve (triple'valvc) on each car; a train pipe connecting all these parts. lVhile the .engineers valve is in one position, the air compressed l y the pi into the reservoir passes through the tr: pipe and fills all the diiierentcar-reservoirs meanwhile holding; the triple valves in such a position as notto operate the hral-Ie-cylindergbut upon turning the engineers alve to another position the train pipe is disconnected from the locomotive reservoir and opened, to the atmosphere, whereupon triple valves areautomatically actuated to connect each car reservoir to itscorrespondinc, applied. The same result "follows the accid-ntal bursting or uncoupling of the train pi e, and the'bral-rcs on the various cars remain set until the pressure is restored in the train pipe, which automatically restores the triple valves to running position and releases the pressure the cylinder,-or until the pressure in the various car reservoirs becomes dissipated by accidental or intentional leakage. v

Thus before switching the cars in a yard it is necessary for a brakeman or yardman to visit every car and release all the air contained therein by means of a valve provided for thatpurpose, after which the car can be controlled only by the hand brakes; thereb; necessitating that a yardn'ian climb upon it and set the bralreto stop it, and climb upon it a second time to release the brake the next time the car is to be shifted. Furthermore when the cars are next collected into a train brake-cylinder and the train brakes are,

- it is necessary to recharge all the individual car reservoirs to the working pressure beitorc the cars can be moved eitl er legallyor with satety, which'in-the case ot'a' long train involves considerable: delay. land iinal under the conditions existing with'the usual freight car the air leakage is so rapid asto cause a loosening of the brakes w thina few minutes or hours for this cause alone which lS 'L distinct source of accidents by reason'ot trains gettin out of control on grades; 7 The objects oi this invention are the provision of an air brake system wherein the bralres can be released on the individualcars without emptying the reservoirs on those cars; whcrein'the brakes on the individual cars can be repeatedly applied and released during the time that such cars are disconnected from the locomotive; the provision mechanism forming a part oitsuch sysor to i wherebv such individual operation is prevented during the time that the cars are connected to locomotives .and'the control ottheir air bralrle system restored to and held firmly under the jurisdiction of the engineer; the provision ot a new improved mechanism for maintaining a uniform and sufiicient working; pressure on the brake during a much greater length of time than heretofore; the provision of mechanism tulfilling the above mentioned objects which shall be cheap and simple in construction,

.and identical in its'operation with the op as the same are specifically set forth in Ol claims, forthe reason that great changr can he made in all matters of detail. drawings Fig. 1 is a diagram part of a freight train equ view of a V with our improvedair brake; 52 is an end view and Fig. 3 a side elevation of a freight car provided with a preferred form of our improvement; is top plan view of the brake mechanism illustrated in A Figs. 2 and 3, taken immediatelygbeneath drawn to enlarged scale; Fig. 8 is ade-i tail view of the release valve and its control .p 1st on;fF1g. 9 1s a detail View or the cylinview illustrating the essentialcteatures of a simplersystem embodyingonly apart or 3 the advantages heretofore enumerated; Rig. ll illustrated ourlim'proved releasing valve as appliedto the'standard car brake; and

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic View or another "simplified system presenting other partial advantages. v

clear. The same reference characters are employed in all these views.

35 10 represents a storage reservoir of considerable size'which is connected to the train pipe l by way of a-checlr valve 11 so arranged that air can flow into; the reservoir from thetrain pipe but cannot escape in v the triple valve l 'with which is associated a cylinder- 14; having there n a piston 15 suit ably conn cted to the operatingineinber 16' of said valve. 17 and 18 denote a pair of pressure chambers connected to "thetriple valve andjhaving capacities in the ratio of to l, and also connected to the triple valve is a cylinder 19 having therein a piston ZOeonnected to a valve 21. 2.2 denotes the brake. cylinder having therein the piston 23 which when advanced applies the brakes (not shown) and 2% denotes a pipe which 'connerts that cyl nder tothe valvefll and 'alsoby way of a shut-oil valve 25 and threeway valve 26 to the supply reservoir 10. 27 den-o a cylinder baring one end'cennected to the pipe and the other end connected to the chamber 18; and '28 denotes a piston ti htly in said'cylinder and operaconnected to the valvef25 so that whenever 'the press'ur; 'in the chamber is abovethat in the pipe the valve 257will be opened. 40 denotes a cylinder communicating freely with the train pipe 4 and having der discharge; Fig. 10 is. a diagrammatic Yto'iroi the illustrative embodiment. and;

penne are ithereinto be the normal worn 'i'il pounds'per square inch.

. Describing byre'l 'erence characters theparts shown in the drawings, 1 represents the reverse direction. Independently con-' nected to the tram pip by the pipe'12 1s.

therein a pistonh ll connected with the so arranged rthat whentlie piston 41 is advanced the passage through the valve is opened and the waste passage closed, and whensa-id piston is retracted'the 'inain pas sage is: closed and the sideibranch opened; We'win now describe briefly the intended operation of the oar-t shown in Fig. 5 ai'ter describe the detail construc handle d2 of the value 26,: the part sbeing show: the vmanner of its practical tion; Fir-sh; assuming the locomotive to be the train pipe andthe ng pressure or the reserve :r v 10 willthereiore be rulfiyicharged, the piston;

: ll W VLli be adva-i'iced so as rigidly'to hold the valve open, .flllCljtllGlDiStOii iolwill be} advancedso as to hold the triple valve 1n running position the pipe 12 being in tree I communication with'the chamberfrl', and the chaniber 18 op'ento the atmosphere, and therefore empty oi pressure for which reason the cylinder 22 s'also empty of pre surc. Q; now the pressure in the train pipe is decreased, either accidentally or intention ally; the first eilect is to'perl'nit, the retraction oiflthexpiston 15 of the triple valve which serves to disconnect the chamber 17 from the train pipe and connect it to the chamber 18, whereupon the unbalanced pressure above. the piston '28 opens the'valve 25 and allows air from "the reservoir 10 to flow into the cylinder 22.; thereby advaneingthe p'ston 23 and setting the brake. The, valve 25-rernains open. until'the pressure inthe brake cylinder; and therefore inthe bottom of the cylinder 2?,becomes suiliciently high to restore the piston 28 to its initial posi f ticn and close :the valve 25. amount of lea No reasonable release the brakefor the reason the-ethe only result or a decrease in pressure so produced is to cause an openingot' th valve Ell-and an hausted, which requires. long time since there is no limit to the size of'this reservoir. In the usual car-brags system the size or this reservoir is-strictly-lim tedragen thebralze cylinder can 5 pressure by the requirement that it be only times to effect an equal application of the brakes on all cars, but n our system this condition is met by making the chambers 17 and 1S the prescribed ratio. thereby enabling the i adoption at any desired ratio between the tra'n pipe 4-3, its first effectis to restore the the volume of the brake cylinder inorder' piston to the positienshown in-the dia grain whereby thepipe 12 is reconnected the chamber 1? and the chamber 18 is connected the cylinder 19, thereby advancing the piston 20 and opening" the discharge valve 21; The air in the brake cylinder is thus allowed to cscape'i'reely to the atmosphere, while the advance or the piston 20 uncovers "1 hole 33 which allows the escape of the air contained in the chamber '18. inasmuch as the pressure falls simultaneously on both sic soil the piston 28, no change takes place in the position of the latter and the valve remains closed,but the decrease in pressure in the reservoir 10 is restored by way of the check valve 11.

Supposing that the car containing this system is disconnected trom'the rest of the from the receptacles 10, 17 or l8; it beingv understood that the valve 25 is one which will open autoi'natically to an unbalanced pressure in this direction; and it the brakeman desires to resetthe brakes he has only to restore the handle 42 to its original position, whereupon the brakes will be reset by air from the reservoir 10 to the exact pressure determined by'the. ratio of 17 to 18 which has not been varied in the interim.

Finally when the car is again connected t the locomotive and the pressure in'the train pipe is restored, its first effect is to reset the valve 26 to running position, in casethe yardman may have left it otherwise, and to hold it firmly in such position so that the train is under the sole control of the engineer; and the car is ready to be moved immediately without any attention on the part of the bralreman.

The triple valve which is shown in enlarged sectionin Fig. 6 is of the standard or any approved type, and one of the advantages of our invention is that the usual valve is employed. T his comprises a cylinder 1% in one end ota cast iron body 45 whose opposite end has an attaching,- flange do by which it is ordinarily secured to the car reservoir, but is here attached to the divided reservoir a? which is formed with a partition l-Sdefining the chambers 17 and 18. @ne face of the piston 15 is acted upon by'the pressure in the pipe 12 conveyed thereto by way of the duct 49, and the other taco-is acted upon by the pressure in the chamber 17 acting through the hole 50. The stem 51 of this piston serves ,to move a valve block 52 in such wise as to open and close variousports, the particular relation and construction of the same'being unimportant t the present invention except for the following relaend o1 the reservoir 4? and the pipe i Y immediately thereto, the partition a8 being omitted.

55' in Fig. 6 represents the emergency valve which responds to an unduly quiet:

duction of pressure in the train pipe sets: the brake wlth increased i'orce, this opei tion being the same in our improved 'system as in the standard system.

The maintaining valve 2'? is illustrated in detail in F ig. l and comprises essentially casting secured to the end of the reservoir 47 and formed with a cylinder 2'7 therein communicating at one end with the chamber 18 by means of the duct 61 and at the other end with the bralzecylinder 22 by way of the pipe 2%. Movably mounted in this cylinder is a closely fitting piston 28 having a depending stem 63 formed at its lower end to engage the fingers 64 which traversethc valve seat'65 and project from the race of the poppet valve 66 which is normally held seated by the spring 6?- The'lower side of this valve communicates with the reli valve 26 by way of the pipeGS. With construction the valve 66 will be unseateii upon the existence of an unbalanced pressure tending to depress the piston thereby V admitting air from the pipe 68 until this pressure is equalized and the brake has been applied by a corresponding amount; and also upon the'opening of the valve :26 the air in the brake cylinder is permitted to scape in the reverse direction merely by overcoming the tension of the spr ng (3? In the diagrammatic arrangement shown in Fig. 5 the valve 26 consists of a mere three way cock so connected to the piston that'when the piston is depressed the si oi the valve which is turned away from the reservoir 10 will be vented to the atmosphere. This construction is entirely operative and is suflicient tor most purposes, although, as heretofore pointed out the peated application oi the brakes dept upon the continued maintenance of pressuic in the chamber 18 but if by reason oi lea;- age this pressure be dissipated it is no longer possible to reset the brakes. T avoid this difficulty we have shown an additional feature in Figs. land 8, the'valve body 26 having opposed ports 85 and 86 in its s walls, the port 85 opening to the atmoso and the port 86 being connected to the c m- ,ber 18 by a pipe 87a The valve member-88 has a through passage 89 adaptedto connect together the pipes 68 and 69 when the hanftion, the one to connect the pipe 68 to the 'portv85 whereby the brake cylinder is evacuated and the other to connect the pipe 69 to the chamber 1.8 whereby any pressure loss therein i restored. V i

The cylinder-release valve is shown in in verted position in Fig. 9 and comprises essentially a cylinder 19 having thepipe 54E scre ed in oneend and having in its opposite end the valve seat 21 Movably mounted in this cylinder is the piston 20 having secured to its stem the valve 21 which closes this seat but is normally held lightly thereagainst by the spring 30, This valve 21 is containedin the chamber 31 which communicates by means of pipe 32with the pipe 24 hence with the brake cylinder.

The sides of the cylinder 19 are formed with some with other'cscape openings 34: for

inovedso as to uncover the parts 33 and simultaneously to unseat the valve 21, per- 'mitti'ng the air from the brake cylinder to escape by Way of the ports 34.

In order to permit the convenient operation of the valve 26 l have shown a slide bar 70 located horizontally beneath the car floor and projecting from side to side thereof so as to be operable from either side of the 7 track, this bar having a pin and slot connection with the handle i2 of said valve. fe'have also shown a rock shaft 71 operatively connected with this bar and articulated to a drag. link 72 running to the top or L116 car where it is provided with an op- 4s .crating lever 73' whereby the valve may be operated from this point also. 'These pales are illustrated diagrammatically at 75-75 in Fi 1 wherein it is indicated that so'lonp;

the pressrJe is maintained in the train pipe these devices cannot be moved, but as soon as this pressure is released, the car brakes can be manipulated locally either fromthe ground or from the car.

ln 10 we have illustrated a slmphfied brake mechanism, omitting the maintaining valve features and employing only the releasing valve features in addition to the parts commonly employed at the present" way cock interposed in the connection 24:

which leads from the reservoir 10 to the .res il normally closed by thepiston brake cylihderQZ. A, second three way cock 26 isfinterposed inthis connection, having its operating handle 27, connected to the piston 41 of the cylinder 4L0 as before. it Will be ui'uler'stood that the upper end-of the cylinder lfiIMCQIlStllJUtGS an air chamber so type of triple val"-/e, thereby opening the tofo re descr bed, 7 pipe l- 1S tilled w1th air at high pressure the reservoir l0 islilrewise filled and the cyliir" ders i l andsiO, being uncer maximum pres- 7 substantially the same as'of't-he systemhereainelyz when the train sure their-pistons arel'i'eld in the positioi'i-v shoy I n; reduction of pressure in the pipe t the. piston lo is depressed, opening the valve 18 and-I Upon an accidental or intentional i ermitting airto flow from the reservoir 10 to the brake cylinder 22; upon @TGSEOI'ELUOD of pressure in the piped the p1s-to'nl5 re:

takes its former positionynioving the valve 13 so as to vent the phere; if the car'be disconnected from the locomot rue, leaving the pipei l open to the atmosphere the piston 15 moves to such a position as to establish open comnninication cylinder 22 to the atmosthrough the pipe 24;, after which the brake I can be manipulated by means or" the valve 26, which is now freely movableowing to the absence of any pressure in the cylnis.

der 1-0.-

i 1111 ig; 11 We have shown a mode of applying this releasing valve tothe usual type of air brake system wherein M represents car re'servoir,'22 the brake cylinder, and

the 53 the pipe leading'from the triple valve to said cylinder. 82 indicates a block which- 7 is interposed'between the cylinder and reservoir forthe purpose of securing the necessaryspace for the ducts required; said blockhaving at oneslde an'extension storn edwith a valve seat 76 having three fportstherein,

77 -78 and 7 9. The port 77 communicates with the pipe 53 by a duct 77]; the port 78 communicates with the cylinder byway of the duct 78 and the ort 79 opens directl into the atmosphere. Locatedin this seat-'76 7 15 the valve member 80 having a passageway therein adapted whenthe valve is turned in one direction to connect ports 77 andf78-i and when turned in another position to connect ports 78 and 79. Preferably the handle i 81 of this valve is connected to a control'piston of the type heretofore shown, although even this is not imperative. Inthis illustrative drawing the function ofthe check valve 11 represented in Fig. 10 is included in that otthe triple valve (not shown):

In Fig. l2we .have showna diagramfo f, an air brake apparatus similar-1n everyrespect to thatillustrated in Fig.6 excepting pipe.

for the i any releasing valve, and iaderstood without special description. I

R will be unde cod that our invention may be embodied great number of phys ical forms in add i n to those herein illus trated and that we limit ourselves in no wise except as specifically set forth in the annexed claims. 7

having thus described our inventionwhat we claim is:

1. In an air brake system for freight. cars,

the combination with a supply reservoir, a brake cylinder, and a conduit connecting; them, of pair of three way valves operat'ivelv associated with said conduit, one after the otl er and each adapted either to open a passage through said conduit or to close such passage and vent to the atmosphere the portion of the conduit which is farthest from reservoir whereby when both valves are open the brake will be apphec and when either is closed the brake will be released, one oi said valves being manually operated and the other being automatically operated in accordance with the pressure in the train pipe.

2. In an air brake system for freight cars, the combintion with a train pipe, a pres sure reservoir, and a brake cylinde", of a conduit connecting said reservoir and cylinder, a pair of three way valves operatively associated with said conduit at different points and each. adapted either to open a passage therethrough or to close such passage and vent to the atmosphere that portion ofthe conduit whi h is nearer the brake cyl inder, a'pair of: cylinders independently connected to said train pipe, and pistons in said cylinder connected to said valves, one of said pressure in said trainpipe is high and the other holding its valve open when pressure exists in said train pipe. I

3; In an air brake system, in combination,

pistons holding; its valve closed'when the a train pipe, a pressure reservoir, abralce cylinder, and'two valves interposed"between saidreservo r and. cylinder adapted either to admit air from said reservoir to said cylinder or to discharge air from said cylinder independently of said reservoir. one of said valves being operable automatically in accordance with the train pipe pressure, the

.other being operable manually, and means for preventing operation or said last valve so long as any pressure exists in the tram 4t. In an air brake system, the combination with a train pipe, :1- pressurereservoir, a br lte cylinder, and a triple valve adapted to control the flow of air to and from said cylinder in accordance with the train pipe )1essure,-ot an independent, manually operated valve adapted to permit the escape of air from said cylinder without releasing that in said reservoir, and means including ,ire exsts in said trainpipe above that of the atmosphere.

e The combination with the train pipe, of

a prossure-reservoir connected thereto, such connection including a non-return check valve, a brake cylinder, a connection between said reservoir and cylinder, including a three way valve, and a pressure'actuated COillLl'Ollll'lQ; device also interposed in the connection between said reservoir and cylinder and independently connected to the train pipe.

6. in a railroad train, the combination with a locomotive having anair pump, reser voir and enfgineefis valve, of a plurality of cars each having an auxiliary reservoir, a'bralre cylinder, anda triple valve, a train pipe connecting said engineers valve with all jsaid'triple valves, a three way valve on each car located beuween the corresponding reseiwoir and cylinder and adapted to con,- nect- Said cylinder either with the reservoir or with the ul'IDOSPhGI'Q, and means for opia up; said last mentioned valve from the round. or from the body of the car.

7. In a\ railroad train, the combination with a locon'iotive having an air pump, reservoir and enginee'rs valve, of aplurality of cars each having an auxiliary reservoir, a brake cylinder, and a. triple valve, a train pipe connecting said engineers valve with all said. triple valves, a three way valve on each *ar located between the CQrresPonding res 'oir and cylinder and adapted to connect said cylinder either with the reservoir or with the atmosphere, and means operable from the locomotii forrendering said three valves inoperative.

S, In a railroad train, the combination with a locomotive having an air pump,-re'servoir and engineefis valve, of a plurality of cars each having an auxiliary reservoir, a lllzll-TG cylinder, and a triple valve, a train pi a connecting said engineers valve with all said triple valves, a three way valve on each car located between the corresponding reservoir and cylinder-and adapted to connect said cylinder-eitherwith the reservoir or with the atmosphere, and pressure operative means connected to said valve and 'to the train pipe adapted to hold said valve in inoperative position when pressure exists in said train pipe.

9. In an air brake system for freight cars, in combination, a pressure reservoir and a brake cylinder carried by each car, a

. said brakes, means for actuating said last valves from a plurality of points about the car,'and means connected to the train pipe I adapted to prevent movement of said valves during' the time that the pressure in said train pipe is greater than atmospheric;

10. In a freight-car air brake system, a train pipe, a pressure reservoir, and a brake cylinder, means operative while atmospheric pressure exists in the train pipe for permitting repeated operation ot said brake cylinder by the air in said reservoir, and means for preventing such operation when the pressure existing in said'train pipe is greater than atmospheric. r

i In an air brake, in combination, a pressure reservoir, a brake cylinder operatively connected thereto, such connection including two three-way valves, an operatingpiston' for each valve, a cylinder i or each piston, a

train pipe connected to each of the last named cylinders and also to the supply reservoir, and means foroperating one of said three-way valves manually when the pressure in said train pipe is atmospheric. 7 12. In an air brake, in combination, a pressure reservoir, a pair 0t proportional chambers, a train pipe connectedto said reservoir in supplying relation, a triple valve operativ ely connecting said proportional chambers together and to said train pipe, means operative upon the connection of said chambers together by said triple valve for applying the brake with a force proportional to the pressurein said chain-v hers, and a manually operated valve'adapted to vent said cylinder to the air without dischargingair either from said reservoir or from said chambers.

'13. In air brakes, in combination, a brake cylinder, a train pipe, and two pressure reservoirs independently connected thereto, a

l control chamber associated'with one of said reservoirs, a triple valve interposed in the connection between said train pipe and said I L n I last reservoir and adapted either to vent said control chamber to the atmosphere or to connect it to the corresponding reservoir, a piston located between saidcontrol chan her and brake cylinder, and a valve operated by said piston for admitting air from the other reservoir into sald brake cyllnder.

14. In air brakes, in combination, a brakecylinder, a train pipe, and two pressure reservoirs connected to the train pipe, one con-- by an open conduit and'also connected to said control nect-ion including" a check valve" and the 1 other a triple valve, a'control chamber con-1 nected to said tripleva lve, a valved conriec- 1 tion'between said brake cylinder andthat said reservoir by a valved conduit, a train pipe connected to; said, reservoir, a check valve in said conn'ectiom'a triple'valvehav ing one side "connected to said train pipe and the other side connected *tO the other;

' end of said control cylinder, and a piston'in cylinder operatively connected 7 to the first-mentioned valve. 7 7

16. In an air brake, lILCOmbiIlltlOIl, a pressure supply reservo r, a brake-"cylinder having separate inlet and outlet fvalves, the

inlet valve communicating with said reser-" voir, pistons operatively connected to said valves, a cylinder for each piston, a con duit connecting said brake cylinder to one"- end of the cylinder whose pistoncontrols the inlet valve, a triple valve having its operating side connected to the opposite end of said last mentioned cylinder and having its exhaust port connected to the other: of said valve control cylinders, a train pipe connected to said triple valve and also to said reservoir, and a check-valve in the last named connection. r r V 17. In an air brake for railway ears, the

combination with a pressure reservoir and a a brake cylinder carried by the individual carsfofjmeans carried by eachcar whereby the brake can be manipulated-whenthe car is disconnected from the locomotive, means carried by the locomotive for operating all the car-brakes, and means for preventing the operation of the first mentioned means whenthe locomotive is attached to'such cars. 7

L In' testimony whereof, we hereunto aflix our signatures. V

, r cronies *1). BREOK.

:LAWRENCE w. eniicr JOHN SCHMAUSS. 

